A college student pinned under a car that had crashed into his motorcycle in Brooklyn died yesterday after rescue workers struggling to free him from the wreckage dropped the vehicle on him in a tragic accident.
Karam Rampersaud, 21, of Brooklyn, had been on his way to classes at City College when he collided with a Ford Taurus at 8:45 a.m. on Loring Avenue and Forbell Street in East New York.
Seconds after cops and firefighters started to lift the Ford with a jack, things went horribly wrong.
“The car was about four feet up,” said witness James Selder, 41.
“Then the car just dropped right back down. Right on him. Everybody in the crowd screamed.’’
“A firefighter cursed at another guy and yelled, `What are you doing?’ ”
Crystal Robinson, 43, heard Rampersaud moaning.
“After the car fell on him, he didn’t make a sound,” she said.
Rampersaud died at Brookdale Hospital.
FAMILY REMEMBERS KILLED MOTORCYCLIST
Video shows an NYPD Emergency Service officer raising the back of the car with the hydraulic jack, which fails almost immediately.
A police source said both departments had put chocks in place, that kept the car from crushing him. They said he died of injuries from the crash.
Ramon Rampersaud said his brother had returned home minutes after setting out because he had forgotten something for school.
“Whatever he forgot cost him his life,” said a tearful Ramon.
The 70-year-old driver of the Ford started screaming when her car dropped onto the student.
“She was hysterical,’’ said a witness who asked not to be identified. “She screamed [at the rescuers]: `Why did you do that?’ ’’
Cops put her in another car, out of view of the horrible scene.
She was later give a summons for failure to yield.
Rampersaud had been studying math education on a full scholarship after agreeing to teach in city schools and was only a year away from graduating. He also worked as a tutor.
“He was on the right track,’’ said his friend, Billy Michaels.
“He motivated me to do good.’’